A Cary teenager received a $25,000 scholarship for developing a potentially effective treatment for cardiovascular disease.
Jamie Cheng, 16, is one of 21 students nationwide to receive the Davidson Fellows Scholarship for her project, VAMPIRE: Vital Anti-aging Microneedle Patch for Induced REgeneration. Cheng’s award is part of the program’s 25th anniversary year, which is granting $825,000 across the 21 students.
The Davidson Fellows Scholarship program recognizes and offers college scholarships to students 18 or younger who have completed significant projects that have the potential to benefit society.
According to the press release, Cheng developed a painless microneedle patch that delivers an anti-aging molecule directly to blood vessel cells.
By reversing signs of endothelial cell aging, which is a root cause of cardiovascular disease, her approach could provide a more effective treatment for the world’s leading cause of death.
Cheng is a rising junior at Green Level High School, where she’s combined her passion for science with public service, including working with the North Carolina General Assembly and Teen Court. She also founded a nonprofit that shares art with underserved communities worldwide.
“I am incredibly honored and grateful to be named a Davidson Fellow,” Cheng said in the press release. “It is an encouraging validation of my research efforts and a reminder that young researchers can make meaningful contributions.”
The Davidson Fellows Scholarship has provided more than $10.7 million in scholarship funds to 469 students since its inception in 2001, according to the press release. It is a program of the Davidson Institute, a national nonprofit organization headquartered in Reno, Nevada that supports gifted youth.
